Improvement in pipe or hose couplings



(i.v M; H0PK|NS`l Pipe or Hose-Coupling.4

No. 62,69 Patented April20,l875.

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THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOT0.LITM.39&4I PARK PLAGE,N.Y.

GEORGE IWI. HOPKINS, OF ALBION, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PIPE OR HOSE ICOUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,169, dated April 20, 1875 g application filed February 21, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEO. M. HOPKINS, of Albion, in the county ot' Orleans and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Oouplin gs for Pipe or Hose, ot' which the following is a specitication rlhe object of my invention is to furnish a coupling for pipes or hose used in braking or heating railwaycars by steam, which may be quickly coupled, and which shall uncouple automatically when the cars are separated, and at the same time shut ott' the steam.

My invention consists, tlrst, and mainly, in the use of a cani or section of a screw-thread i'ixed on one part ofthe coupling, arida springcatch ot' anysuitable design attached to the adjacentpart, so that it may engage with the cam or section ot' a screw-thread by putting the parts ofthe couplingtogether, and turning them until the catch, following up the cani, causes the parts ofthe coupling to come together with considerable force. rIhe coupling is released by trippingl the catch by means ot' a chain or cord. Second, my invention consists in the combination otthe check-valve in each ot' the adjacent parts ot' the coupling with the devices described above. These valves are so arranged as to become unseated when the coupling is united, making a continuous passage through the pipes. The coupling niay have a checkvalve in one of the parts, and a cross-bar in the other, which may force the valve from its seat when the coupling1 is` united.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure lis a longitudinal section on line x x, Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. l.

The part A is fitted to slip over the sleeve B. D is a cain or section ot' a screw-thread cast on the part O. E is a spring-catch, which is attached to the part A in such a manner as to be capable of engaging with the cam D. rIhis catch is provided with an arm, F, which extends upward, and is connected with a chain, G. A recess is also made at a for the spring b. The chain G is connected with some solid object, and is alittle shorter than the flexible pipe attached to the coupling, so as to admit of the coupling being released before the Hexible pipe is strained, in case the cars are separated by accident or otherwise. H is a springcatch, xed to the part O at c, and is long enough to admit ot` the coupling being separated a small distance, Where it retains the ange d. This spring-catch is intended to retain the part A after the catch E has been tripped, and the valves have found their seat; but, as this catch is beveled, a little force in addition to that required to trip the catch E will free the part A from the catch H when it is desired to separate the coupling entirely. l l are valves, which are placed in the parts A and C, having` their seats at c c. The stems ot' these valves are so long that when the parts of the coupling are united the stems abut, and force the valves from their seats, making a free passage through the coupling.

In some cases the valve I may be dispensed with, and the valve I used alone 5 and the crossbar f (shown in the dotted lines) may be used to force it from its seat.

The iron pipe is screwed into the coupling at J, and the liexible pipe is attached at l. A groove, c', is cut in the part U to receive a packingring, j. A corresponding ridge, k, is made on the part A.

I ain aware that the valves I I', arranged in the adjacent parts ct' the coupling to operate as above described, are not new 5 therefore I shall not broadly claim them.

I clairn as my inventionl. The combination ofthe part A, catch E, part C, cam D, and chain G, substantially as specitied.

2. The combination of the parts A and G and spring H, when arranged to operate in the manner specih'ed.

. 3. The combination ot' the parts A and O, catch E, chain G, cam D, spring-catch H, and valves I I, substantially as shown and described.

GEO. M. HOPKINS. Witnesses:

JOHN A. STRAIGHT, R. ANDREWSJ r. 

